Field Trip Report

Saturday April 14, 2001
Poudre River Field Trip

Bill and Sue Miller were accompanied by ten others on a Fort Collins Audubon Society field trip along the bike path on the south side of the Poudre River. The group rendezvoused at 8:00am at the north parking lot for the Riverbend Ponds, just east of Timberline Road, on the north side of the Poudre River, crossed the river on the Timberline bridge, and then proceeded west along the Poudre River bike trail to the Bignall Natural Area.

Birds sighted during the three-hour walk, but NOT shown in order seen, included:

1. Double-crested Cormorant (12) 
2. Canada Goose (3) 
3. Mallard (4+) 
4. Common Merganser (4?)
5. American White Pelican (100+) 
6. Franklin’s Gull (11) 
7. Great Blue Heron (1) 
8. Killdeer (1+?) 
9. Greater Yellowlegs (2) 
10. Northern Harrier (1-F) 
11. Red-tailed Hawk (1) 
12. Swainson’s Hawk (1) 
13. Ferruginous Hawk (1) 
14. Osprey (1 - see later notes) 
15. American Kestrel (1 pair, possibly 2 pairs) 
16. Belted Kingfisher (1+) 
17. Mourning Dove (2+) 
18. Rock Dove (5+) 
19. Downy Woodpecker (1M, 1F) 
20. Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (2++) 
21. Swallow - Barn(?) (1) 
22. American Crow (6) 
23. Blue Jay (heard 1) 
24. Black-billed Magpie (10 +/-) 
25. Black-capped Chickadee (2) 
26. White-breasted Nuthatch (1)
27. American Robin (5+) 
28. European Starling (too many) 
29. Common Grackle (5+/-) 
30. Red-winged Blackbird (6 +/-) 
31. Western Meadowlark (2+) 
32. Sparrow - Vesper (1) [originally identified as "Field"] 
33. Sparrow - Song (2) 
34. American Goldfinch (2+)

Towards the western end of our walk, near the Bignall Natural Area, we were pleasantly surprised by having an Osprey fly up the river into our view, and land in a tree along the river. While contending with the trees along the river we were able to approach to about 80 yards of the perched bird and, with the aid of a telescope, determine that it was an unbanded bird. It showed no visible sign of a “necklace.” After watching it for several minutes we turned around to walk back to our starting point.

While our backs were turned the Osprey had made a dive into the river and came up with a fish, and then flew back downstream. We saw it, carrying a fish, just prior to losing sight of it when it disappeared around a bend in the river.

About seven or eight minutes later we caught sight of it again, as it attempted to land in a tree near the bike path. It was “mobbed” by another bird, and left the tree after just a few seconds. When we next saw it the Osprey was still carrying the fish but was soaring, gaining altitude in a thermal, and not flapping its wings. After several minutes on the “Up Elevator” the bird eventually disappeared behind the trees, at an altitude in excess of five hundred feet. One does not think of an Osprey using soaring flight, but since it was obviously still migrating, taking advantage of thermals in the same manner as American White Pelicans makes sense, from an energy conservation standpoint. Besides, it already had its lunch packed for the trip.

Donna McLean of Greeley and one of the attendees, reminded me of the Common Mergansers that we saw on several occasions. Tree of the them were observed flying in a north-westerly direction, and then four were observed roaring at low level down the river. What a sight--with them at eyeball level!

Respectfully submitted by:

Bill Miller Field trip leader